Italian Open 2022: Alexander Zverev vs Stefanos Tsitsipas preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match details
Fixture: (2) Alexander Zverev vs (4) Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Date: 14 May 2022.
Tournament: Italian Open 2022.
Round: Semifinal.
Venue: Rome, Italy.
Category: ATP Masters 1000.
Surface: Clay.
Prize money: €5,415,410.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video | India - Voot & Sports 18.
Alexander Zverev vs Stefanos Tsitsipas preview
Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas will square off in an exciting semifinal showdown at the 2022 Italian Open on Saturday.
Zverev arrived in Rome on the heels of a runner-up finish at the Madrid Open. After a first-round bye, the World No. 3 kicked off his Italian Open campaign with a 7-6(6), 6-3 win over Sebastian Baez in the second round. He then defeated Alex de Minaur 6-3, 7-6(5) to register his 100th win at the Masters 1000 level.
Zverev was up against Cristian Garin in the quarterfinals and defeated the Chilean 7-5, 6-2 to make the last eight. The German has reached at least the semifinals of all three Masters 1000 tournaments on clay this year.
Zverev is a former champion in Rome, having lifted the trophy in 2017, and is now just a couple of wins away from securing his second title in the Italian capital.
First in the last four ⚡️
2017 Rome champion @AlexZverev sees off Garin 7-5 6-2 to return to the semi-finals at #IBI22 https://t.co/ZA4TjYgK0a
Stefanos Tsitsipas commenced his quest for a maiden title at the Italian Open with a tough three-set win over Grigor Dimitrov in the second round. Karen Khachanov challenged him in the third round, but the Greek stepped up his game after dropping the opener to win 4-6, 6-0, 6-3.
Home favorite Jannik Sinner was Tsitsipas' quarterfinal opponent. The latter raced to a quick 3-0 lead in the opening set, but Sinner soon leveled the score. Both players held serve until the tie-break, which was won by the World No. 5.
Tsitsipas went up an early break to in the second set and secured another break of serve to lead 5-2. Serving for the match, he squandered his first match point and then had to save a break point. Just as the Greek brought up another match point, there was a lengthy delay due to a spectator falling ill.
Into the last 4 at every clay Masters in 2022!
@steftsitsipas gets past home hope Sinner 7-6(5) 6-2 to set up a third consecutive Masters 1000 semi-final clash with Zverev 🤝
#IBI22 https://t.co/SfGJ9R3ofN
It took some time to get the crowd under control, but Tsitsipas didn't let the delay get to him and closed out the match 7-6(5), 6-2.
Alexander Zverev vs Stefanos Tsitsipas head-to-head
Tsitsipas leads 7-4 in the head-to-head against Zverev. The German won their most recent encounter at last week's Madrid Open in three sets.
Alexander Zverev vs Stefanos Tsitsipas odds
All odds are sourced from BetMGM.
Alexander Zverev vs Stefanos Tsitsipas prediction
This will be the duo's third semifinal meeting in less than a month. Tsitsipas won their encounter in Monte-Carlo, while Zverev emerged victorious at the Madrid Open, his first win over the Greek on clay.
While Zverev has made it to the semifinals in Rome without losing a set, two of Tsitsipas' matches have gone the distance. The German seems to be in slightly better form right now. His serve hasn't let him down this week and he's been striking his backhand with venom.
Both are quite adept at dueling from the baseline and the onus will be on Tsitsipas to try and change things by slicing and approaching the net.
The two have developed quite a rivalry over the last few years and this contest is likely to go down to the wire. We expect Tsitsipas to edge Zverev and make it to the final.
Pick: Stefanos Tsitsipas to win in three sets.